Merge and Purge your “Stuff”
 Let’s get right down to brass tactics when it comes to time management: You absolutely must learn the habits of merging and purging. Consider for a moment all of the “stuff†that you encounter over the period of a day, a week, a month, or even a year! I’m talking about all of your notes, your faxes, your work memos, old newspapers, those shoe boxes full of old bills, receipts. Shall I go on?
I’m sure you get the picture by now which is the discovery of just how better your life would be, especially your time management, if you were to merge and purge all of these items on a regular basis as they come to you. Instead of putting all of these storage suffers aside in order to file them later (of which most of us never get around to doing), your job would be to handle each item one by one, selecting the proper filing spot, and purging what does not need to be around anymore.
What are the benefits of using the merge-and-purge system when it comes to time management? Directly put, you would have more free time to yourself because by nature, large accumulations of storage rob you of your time. You first receive them in however manner they come into your life, then you spend time putting them somewhere that is not a designated area for that item, next comes wasting time searching for that item when you do need it, and finally, you end up finding misplaced items of importance while searching for the original file, thus creating the entire cycle again.
Here are several great times to start merging and purging your items when it comes to the following scenarios:
1. Taxes: As soon as you have filed your taxes, then merge and purge all of your paperwork. Do not wait until next week, next month, or next year. Do it now.
2. Make it a yearly ritual to clean up all of your files, paperwork, storage, etc. when your birthday comes around. This is a great way to start a yearly ritual of which you will not forget the time to purge your stuff.
3. Spring time: You have all heard the old saying of “Spring Cleaning†haven’t you? Well make use of it. The changing seasons is a great time to sort, merge, and purge all of the clutter in your life.
4. New Years: Make it a resolution to take care of all of your paperwork, storage items, and miscellaneous clutter each new start of the year.
5. Today: Make it a point today to get into the habit of merging and purging. Do not take on the world at once or take away too much time from your current schedule. Rather, start small such as your home office. Clear your desk, go through your papers, and clean out your drawers.